2019 was a fantastic year for Nintendo Switch owners, with a stellar lineup from the platform holder itself joined by a near-endless stream of brilliant third party games; finding the time to play them all was by far the biggest problem facing Switch (and Switch Lite) gamers.
Nintendo's console got off to a rocketing start in 2017 with the heavy hitters of launch game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey, and that continued into 2018 with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Third parties and indie devs really took Switch to their hearts, too, releasing quality new games and ports aplenty.
2019 gifted us several top-drawer Nintendo-made Switch titles in the form of Super Mario Maker 2, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening, the quirky Ring Fit Adventure, Luigi's Mansion 3 and the all-conquering Pokémon Sword and Shield, but nearly every week brought more essential games to the eShop from other studios, huge and tiny alike.
The following list of the 50 best Switch games from 2019 is ranked according to the user ratings associated with Switch games on Nintendo Life's database. As such, it can still be influenced after publication by your ratings. If you've yet to give your personal score to some (or all) of 2019's Switch releases, the ranking below could yet change, so feel free to score your favourites. Can't see your favourites? Just head to our library of Switch games for 2019.
So, let's take a look at the very best Switch games from 2019 according to you lovely lot...
50. Wargroove (Switch eShop)
As far as strategy games are concerned on the Switch, Wargroove is one of the best titles you can find on the eShop. Extremely deep and diverse strategy gameplay, ridiculous amounts of replayability, and charming presentation all combine to make this one an easy recommendation to anybody looking for a deep and cerebral experience for their Switch. Advance Wars may only exist nowadays in our memories, but Wargroove stands as a worthy successor to the franchise; if Intelligent Systems does ever decide to revive its cult classic series, it’s going to have some stiff competition to contend with thanks to Chucklefish's efforts.
49. Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition (Switch)
Digimon Story Cyber Sleuth: Complete Edition is a content-packed RPG with plenty to see and do. Its evolution system feels wholly unique when compared to another monster-breeding game series you might find on Nintendo hardware, and while the grind may be too much for some, it’s comfortably one of the best creature-catchers on the Switch – although Pokémon still holds the crown, of course.
48. DELTARUNE Chapter 1 (Switch eShop)
It’s unknown at this point just how big of a project Deltarune will turn out to be, but this first chapter proves to be a solid, if a little too safe, take on the unique gameplay and humour that made Undertale such a hit. At worst, Deltarune Chapter 1 is just a smaller and shallower version of Undertale; at best, it’s a promising glimpse into a much more ambitious project that will hopefully grow to escape the shadow of its forerunner. Regardless, you can download Deltarune Chapter 1 for free from the eShop; see what you think.
47. New Super Lucky's Tale (Switch)
New Super Lucky’s Tale is a solid port of an underrated platformer with a greatly improved camera. It's a little on the short side and may not provide much of a challenge to more hardened gamers – and if you already own it on Xbox One there really isn't enough new here to warrant a second purchase – but what makes it worth a look is its uncanny ability to make you smile, and this is something that can't be overlooked, especially in modern times.
46. Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition (Switch)
While Tales of Vesperia: Definitive Edition doesn’t make an major changes to the original game that launched over a decade ago, it does combine practically every piece of exclusive content into one wholesome package. With the benefit of some improved visuals in both cutscenes and gameplay, it’s very difficult to recommend this JRPG classic on any other system than Nintendo Switch thanks to how well it performs in both docked and handheld modes. If you’ve ever slept on this classic, there’s never been a better way to rectify that error.
45. Blaster Master Zero 2 (Switch eShop)
Inti Creates knocked it out of the park with Blaster Master Zero 2, improving on the original 'reboot' in nearly every conceivable way while also setting a clear path forward for what could hopefully become a flagship series for the company. Tight platforming action, memorable boss battles, plenty of extra side content, and some gorgeous pixel art make this one of the easiest recommendations on the eShop; we’d strongly encourage you to pick this one up. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the series or are just getting into it for the first time, Blaster Master Zero 2 is a stellar experience from stem to stern, and further cements Inti Creates’ legacy as one of the best developers in the retro gaming business.
44. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (Switch)
Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a visually phenomenal upgrade on a PlayStation karting classic, and one that faithfully recreates both its positives (its unique drift boosting system) and its potential irritants (30fps, tricky AI). It does bring a whole new set of issues – mainly lengthy loading times and the fact that playing offline stops you making any progress towards unlocking anything – but while these prevent the game from becoming an absolute must-have, they don’t sour the experience enough to stop us wholeheartedly recommending it regardless.
43. Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda (Switch eShop)
Cadence of Hyrule: Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda *breathe* is an excellent game, but is it a Zelda game?
Short answer: Absolutely.
Long answer: This wasn't a case of Brace Yourself Games simply swapping out the sprites of Crypt of the NecroDancer with Link and Zelda. This new musical take on Hyrule and the top-down Zelda mechanics we all know so well freshened the formula while retaining all the hallmarks you'd expect in a Nintendo-developed Zelda title. You get the exploration, the discovery, the wonder, the items, the dungeons and — most of all — the music, all shot through with a rhythm-based gameplay twist that takes a while to get used to, but is immensely satisfying once you do. It's also arguably the most replayable Zelda game ever, with each new game juggling the landscape and layout of the kingdom (cleverly playing with the notion of Hyrule's ever-changing geography throughout the series), meaning no playthrough will be quite the same.
It won't click with everyone, and if you're after 80-hour epics, you'll want to look elsewhere. But there are plenty of them already. Having a smaller Hylian experience that feels uniquely fresh and also completely 'Zelda' is a joy.
42. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Switch)
Donkey Kong Country fans rejoice: this is the spiritual successor you’ve been waiting for. The worst thing you could say about it is that the overworld exploration may prove to be too involved for those who are in it purely for the runny-jumpy stuff, but those who are happy to mix platforming with top-down adventuring and don’t mind adapting to the constantly changing pace will find the best of both worlds here. Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a fantastic sophomore effort that pays tribute to Rare's past and establishes Playtonic as one of the UK's most exciting studios.
41. Yoshi's Crafted World (Switch)
Yoshi’s Crafted World has colour and charm to spare, even if its inventiveness is largely limited to its looks. For Yoshi fans, it does exactly what you expect it to, which is perhaps the worst thing we can say about it; it contains few genuine surprises. The game is delightfully presented, though, and makes for another very solid entry in Nintendo’s ever-growing pantheon of material-based platformers. If you’re looking to share a light-hearted platformer with the family, or simply relax in a big chair with a cup of something warm and a comfy pair of socks, be sure to have a spare pair ready – Yoshi's Crafted World will charm the ones you’re wearing right off.
Comments 127
Edit: Just got some of the games at the top of the list for Christmas so I'll finally get to play some of the big releases of this year. Also Luigis Mansion 3 is my personal Goty.
I am really enjoying this top three and glad to see FE not right at the top as I had feared. Amazing that Phoenix Wright still appears on a list like this (in the top 10!) despite being pretty much the same game it was on the gameboy advance. Quality lasts.
Can't disagree with DOS2 as the top pick. Was intimidated by the sheer size of it but some 30 hours in and I struggle to find any substantial criticism of it. Just brilliant.
Slay the Spire is probably my game of the year on everything, followed by Dragon Quest XI S
for me Fire Emblem Three Houses is number 1 the game surprised me on how great it is
I'm actually surprised Senuas Hellblade made it to the top 5, i'm gonna have to try it out now.
I wanna give DX11 a chance as I'm an RPG nerd, but I dont know.
Judging by the comments this is a self adepting list that changes depending on the user ratings.
Also, I’d rather see what the nintendolife staff thinks is the top 50 switch games of 2019.
Links Awakening is my nr. 1 this year till now. I can’t wait for Luigi’s Mansion 3. I got the feeling that it will become my number 1 for 2019.
I completely disagree with almost all of this list
@USWITCH64 this list changes depending on user reviews. Check back later maybe you’ll agree than 😂
When I first checked marvel ultimate allience was 50. 5 minutes later it was 47.
Well all I can say is my list looks drastically different. But again, That's only my list.
@USWITCH64 at least give us your top 5 if that's the case!
For me, the only game that could dethrone Dragon Quest XI S as the best Switch release this year will be Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition. In fact, I'm counting on it. I'm a huge Dragon Quest fan, but Xenoblade's jump to the Switch will be a much greater leap than Dragon Quest's. Xenoblade's masterful choreography, gorgeous environments, beautiful music, and captivating storytelling were enough to make my jaw drop the first time around in 480p, and a modern coat of paint will only emphasize its brilliance.
EDIT: As it was quickly pointed out, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is actually dropping next year. I don't know how I was under the impression it'd be dropping this winter. Dragon Quest XI S will probably sit as my favorite Switch release for 2019.
September, man... What a month!
Dragon Quest XI, Ori and the Blind Forest, Divinity Original Sin 2, Zelda Link's Awakening, Grid Autosport, Spyro Trilogy, Ni no Kuni, Blasphemous,...
I don't have time and money for soooo much!
@jtmnm It's oficial that Xenoblade will be released on 2020.
@Big-Pepsi Why you don't know? I'm an RPG nerd as well, I've never been a DQ fan, but I tell you man, I haven't played an JRPG as good and polished as this one since... I don't remember when lol.
It totally deserves all the love is getting.
@the_beaver Whoops!
Jeez, the whole top 10 at the moment (well 11, gotta include Cuphead), is a love letter to why this year is so great. DOS II, Hellblade, DQ XI, Astral Chain, Mario Maker, Ori, GRID, DQ Builders 2... haven't played all of them but I sure plan on it.
Not like the rest of the list is slouches either... When a list begins with a game as good as Trials Rising and only goes mostly up from there, you know it's been a good year.
for once, this is a great top 10. and i'm yet to play ay of the top 7 despite laying switch every day, so this is just awesome all over really
Mario Maker 2 has been my favorite game of the year thus far.
@darkswabber Yeah this list a bit of a joke in my opinion. Sone good games, but tons of 20 years and older game ports and small fries I haven't heard of. They're not bad and the ones I hadn't heard of don't look bad, but we don't have even CTR or Sonic in here.
Missed the Contra Collection.
Cuphead, Dragon Quest XI S, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses are absolutely my favorite releases this year. All three are so good in their own unique ways.
Nice to see all the appreciation DQXI S is getting from the playerbase on NL. It's one of the most impressive ports on the system, and S-E clearly put their heart and soul into this port, touching up almost every aspect of the game in the process.
My top 3, in order
1st - Astral Chain
2nd - Grid Autosport
3rd - Virtua Racing
Honorable mentions - Dragons Dogma, Doom 1/2/3, Vasara Collection,Links Awakening once it's been patched.... hopefully.
I'm sure The Witcher 3 will enter my top 3 but can it top the mighty Astral Chain? As could Dragons Quest XI or Divinity Original Sin 2 when I finally play them.
DQ XI S absolutely deserves that top spot.
@JEM Excellent, also see Tales of Vesperia. Seems a bit more like it!
Awesome stuff. That's one hell of a lineup for less than a year. The Switch is quickly becoming my favorite platform of all-time.
Good God... 25 of them are old ports
Astral Chains and Fire Emblem... and just got SteamWorld Quest on Sale. That is about it.
@Sakisa I agree. Well deserved. This game is incredible...I'm amazed it fits on this little cartridge.
@the_beaver did Ni No Kuni get mentioned?
Wow, I did not expect DQ11 to take number one, I am so happy
Did I completely miss my GOTY Slay the Spire? It's not there is it?
Good to see GRID Autosport get appreciation, fantastic racer and I'm genuinely impressed at the port and attention to detail. Sounds and looks amazing on the Switch.
Hellblade disappointed me. I think I need to try it again when my backlog clears.
It does look stunning but I couldn't get on with the combat - fight and beat the baddies on screen, then get attacked and hit from behind. Defeat those, think you're done... get attacked and hit from behind again... defeat those, think you're done...
I found it tiresome rather than enjoyable.
Only Mario Maker 2 makes my list, while I liked the demo of Ori so will get that in time. Overall, a pedestrian year for Nintendo.
Link's Awakening is my GOTY, even if technically a 1993 game.
"And it's far from over"
One wonders then why you're doing it.
@Joe-b Not in this list I think, but everyone says it's wonderful. Really want to put my hands on it.
@Franklin So far it's already been much better than the whole 2018 lol
Ni No Kuni deserves a spot. Currently obsessed with it. Doing every single mission. Trying to capture every single familiar. Great music!
Happy to see Baba Is You well placed. One of those hidden gems of the eShop. Fire Emblem is my No1 so far. Still a lot of 2019 to go yet, though!
@the_beaver
Well that's true.
Glad to see one of my favorite franchises of all time currently sitting in the top spot. Still working on Dragon Quest VII on 3DS. I’ll get to XI eventually.
Multiplayer for GRID will come in an update AFAIK
That's a staggering number of quality titles.
@Yoshinator why comment if you didnt experience any of these?
In my opinion, 2019 is probably the Switch's best year so far, and it isn't even over yet!
I agree with the top 3 surprisingly. Although I'd have switched FE3H and DQ11 But I am shocked that Wargroove and Tales of Vesperia placed so lowly. In fact, beyond the top 3 I feel like the whole list is heavily shuffled around from how I'd have done it!
Where the heck is AI: The Somnium Files?
I really wanted to like FFXII but I just can’t get past Vaan. He’s easily the weakest FF lead character in the whole series (and this is series where a game has a lead character called Bartz who faces a villain called ExDeath) and the fact his appearance doesn’t change with job titles is infuriating.
It’s bad enough he’s stuck with that stupid vest top thing for the whole game but when exploring the snowy areas he still wears it! I can suspend disbelief at a lack of realism in FF games pretty easily but making things unrealistic is too far.
Cuphead is overrated.
Was very excited for that, and other than the visuals it's a one trick pony.
The sequel will hopefully improve other aspects of the game this time.
Strong list and only getting stronger. For me GRID comes out top closely followed Zelda and Ori. Witcher 3, LM3 and Ring Fit Adventure (yes I went there) may change this.
M2’s Virtua Racing port is incredible, and it’s on offer. Fantastic arcade conversion.
Mario Maker 2 is way over-hyped... I really regret buying that game.
@EasyDaRon That doesn't change the fact that they're some of the best Switch games ever.
A really good year so far !
@JEM I added mine to that so now it needs 2
A few issues with the also rans, but I broadly agree with most of the top 10. I’d put Fire Emblem the other side of Super Mario Maker 2, but I’m really not a fan of the Mario Maker games. Looking forward to Dragon Quest XI as it’s my next big adventure on Switch. I’ve got the cart in my case already, and I’m moving onto it as soon as I’ve completed Link’s Awakening. If it belongs in the company of Astral Chain and Three Houses, I’m in for a treat.
Pretty solid list.
And what a ridiculously good year so far for the Switch with much more to come. Insane.
Dragon Quest 11 is well deserved as the best game.
I’ve just ordered 7 & 8 (3DS) as a Christmas treat for myself!
@Big-Pepsi Go ahead. It's lovely.
@the_beaver I hear the same thing.
@the_beaver
Yeah, but it reminds me of Chrono Trigger which is on my "list of games I enjoy so much that I end up only playing them once or not finish to savor it" I feel like I'll end up putting 100 hours in and drop it before fighting the last couple of bosses, games like that end up taking me years to finish, and I kid you not this is what happens when I play games I love.
Baba is you number one for me. Utterly unique and very satisfying when you nail a hardcore headscratcher.
Baba is Me
Brain is Melt
Battery is Dead
@Illusion yeah I thought that, there’s more classics in that game than the Castlevania collection.
Seems like I'm not buying enough games as I only have five of these ones listed here and one of them I haven't even played!
Turns out I didn't pick any $60 game yet
Lots of solid exclusives though
This was a good year for indies too, I got Baba is You, Katana Zero, My Friend Pedro, Risk of Rain 2, Pikuniku. Also there was some solid re-releases of games I've never played before, got Cuphead, but will surely pick Obra Dinn and maybe A Hat In Time and Ori
Astral chain is easily my goty
I totally agree on #1 so far - I’m 40 hours in and having an absolute blast, DQ XI S may well become my favourite JRPG of all time.
@Agramonte FF VIII is a proper remaster, while the prerendered backgrounds could not be saved the in game models are updated in a way they don't feel out of place but have a nice amount of detail to them.
With some quality of life features (no random encounters when backtracking or exploring is great)
Granted it is one of my Favorite FF games I may be a bit biased (and weird)
I feel you'd almost get as good a list from drawing games out of a hat than going by the user scores here sometimes. They seem a bit all over the place from what I've noticed. Can't complain too much with #1 though. While it's definitely not my favourite Switch game this year, it's certainly very good and a worthy winner. Also happy to see Ace Attorney sitting in the top ten.
Edit: Aaaand someone ruined it.
There's some good games I've missed out on, haven't I? I'm definitely leaning towards getting Luigi's Mansion 3 now - it seems to fix most of my qualms with Dark Moon (which I admittedly habe not played much of yet), and I'm interested in a lot of stuff on the list. GRID Autosport being so high is a bit surprising, but it must be worth a look as well. 2019 was definitely a great year for the Switch, though.
Now THIS is a top ten list.
10. Divinity 2
9. Link's Awakening
8. Ori and the Blind Forest
7. Astral Chain
6. Mario Maker 2
5. Dragon Quest Builders 2
4. Luigi's Mansion 3
3. Witcher 3
2. Fire Emblem TH
1. Dragon Quest XIS
Pretty much perfect.
At least this is better than NL’s best of 2019.
@locky-mavo You'd hope so. Would be hard to be worse.
This is one weird list. All the games you’d expect are here, but the order is nuts.
1. Super Mega Baseball 2
2. Tiny Metal 2
Man, the Switch got so many great RPGs this year
Dragons dogma : have over 120 hours into the game and haven't even come to close to learning everything. I have a lot of weapons and armor to dragon forge, and that's not including bbi's content. Good to see it on this list
It's pretty remarkable that the game picked as the #1 release of 2019 by the site's readers didn't even factor into the staff's top 11.
Ayyy Digimon ranked higher than Pokemon
Note to the editor: if you are going to just copy and paste the conclusion from each game’s reviews into this list - the please try to be a bit more descriptive of what type of game it is in those conclusions. Some of the more obscure games on this list I had to look up to see if it was my type of game or not!
@SavimbaLives SMB2 is probs my most played game of the year! Narrowly pipping SMM2
Good list agree with most of it
A far more realistic view in my opinion.
Pretty good list. I'm glad to see Dragon Quest Builders 2 and Luigi's Mansion 3 up there.
I would've put NSMBUDX higher up, though, especially over Yoshi's Crafted World.
I would like to buy Dragon Quest XI S, but only after recovering from the huge Christmas sale in finances.
Thrilled to see DQB2 so high! It was definitely my personal favorite of the year, the amount of joy it gave me was so unexpected.
Fire emblem or dq11 in n.1...ok. now it's true
I'm just happy to see Digimon make this list. Really wasn't expecting it to. My favorite though, would probably be Luigi's Mansion 3. It's just so much fun. Zelda, witcher, cuphead and Dragon Quest are all really good as well. Imo it was a solid year for the switch.
@BenAV Out of curiosity, what is your favourite Switch game this year? My top 3 are
Astral Chain, Luigi's Mansion 3 and Grid Autosport.
@OorWullie If you exlude ports and remakes (which makes the choice a lot easier as there's a few there that I love), gotta be AI: The Somnium Files.
Honestly I'd say that overall most of the games that left the biggest impression for me this year are probably indie titles (Slay the Spire, Cadence of Hyrule, Baba Is You, etc.).
Dragon Quest XI S probably my favourite big, mainstream release. Astral Chain is up there but while it was great, it fell a bit short of what I'd hoped it could be.
Getting through the current top 3 (DQ11S, FE3H, & Witcher III) I am going to have a very packed Winter & Spring! Also can't wait to get into Pillars of Eternity & finally finish through my Hollowknight playthrough. Really great year for Switch!
Hmm, well this turned out to be quite a bad list. Oh well, at least the top 10 list by the writers wasn't bad.
Actually glad that people seemed pretty honest about Pokemon.
@locky-mavo Garbage like this is why I never bother with user scores anymore. It is all fanboys and internet BS, I mean the journalism is bad enough but when you are reliant upon users you are just listening to the most rabid of fanboys.
So happy that Dragon Quest XI S made number 1. It was so traditional in every sense, but had some beautiful self contained stories that added to a larger whole. My favourite game on any system this year. I played it for around 200hrs and never got bored. I was sad it never lit up the charts.
Really great list, especially when you see that Digimon is in front of Pokemon
@JayJ Too right.
Man, it is so nice to see a game i feel is #1 end up at #1! Dragon Quest XI S is worthy of that position.Glad others feel the same.
No Sword/Shield in this list. At list the fans have some sanity.
im glad witcher took the top 3 spot really great game and still plenty things to do.
@BenAV Interesting choice.
I keep seeing this Slay the Spire mentioned over the last couple of weeks. I hadn't heard of it before then. I'm not sure if it's my type of game but I'll never know until I try.
@JayJ You know, it's possible people actually likes those games and aren't just "rabid fanboys". Everybody enjoys different things, and just because a majority of people like something that you don't it doesn't make them incorrect.
Also, you seem to be just as bad as these "rabid fanboys" you're criticizing. Giving so many games a 1/10 clearly just to bring down their average score is just as bad, if not worse, as being a fanboy giving a game a 10/10 to increase the score. You're allowed to dislike the games, but certainly they still have some objective qualities that deserve a couple of points.
@Cynas I just thought it was interesting to see how easily these rankings can be influenced, at the end of the day it really isn't any kind of issue so I see no need to make an issue out of it. The users around here vote and the averages are presented for us, but at the end of the day this is just a representation of the community more than anything else.
I only like six of them
Dragon quest 11 and Fire emblem 3 houses were my favorite games of 2019, so seeing them take 1 and 2 is awesome, glad a lot of other people loved these games
I wish A Hat in Time and Spyro Reignited Trilogy were higher, being the 3D platforming buff that I am, but it was interesting to see them right next to each other on the list. Not sure which I prefer, as Spyro is special because it is a beloved childhood classic, but A Hat in Time was a fresh new experience I hadn't played before on other platforms. Both games suffer from optimization issues on Switch, but that didn't stop them from being stellar experiences and easily two of my favorite games of the year.
Also, I can't possibly comment here without giving a shout-out to Cuphead, which very quickly cemented itself as one of my favorite video games of all time. I love boss fights, and, even more than that, I love the art of animation; Cuphead delivers on both of these fronts in spades. It's the only game I've ever purchased for PC, despite having to play through the whole thing with a keyboard, and I thought it was just a pipe dream that I would ever play it on my Switch.
Lastly, I just received Dragon Quest 11 as a Christmas present I asked for. I'm not into RPGs at all with the exception of the Mario ones, but I am thoroughly enjoying this game. I've already invested over 6 and a half hours into this game because I just can't put it down. Traversing the world feels like a Zelda game, and while Breath of the Wild has spoiled me and I get frustrated with all the invisible walls that keep me from exploring, Dragon Quest 11 is a real treat. Battles are simplistic enough for a complete RPG noob to grasp--unlike something like Xenoblade, which intimidates me--yet they're still challenging and engaging. I don't know if grinding is necessary, but when I'm gaining dozens of experience points at a time, I find myself unable to stop battling. This could end up being one of my favorite games of the year, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.
Untitled Goose Game was robbed.
I don't know how I'm going to find the time to catch up with anything on this list with 300+ hours of Xenoblade and the bottomless pit of Animal Crossing coming up in 2020
@Joe-b I was thinking the same thing as I was playing watching the amazing cinemas...i can't believe all they crammed on the cartridge.
Grid is no longer strictly a solo affair, aside that lovely list that can help newcomers to the Switch pick-up some gems!
Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair: a beautiful game, clearly made with love, has a lot of variety in it, a unique touch to things, excellent level design, a ton of stages, a very nice overworld, a huge number of collectibles, a difficulty level that makes you keep coming back to it. Almost left out of the list. As for the overpriced Resident Evil games ports, it's easy to understand why they keep being rereleased for such a price
I feel really weird about games like FF8 and other ports of real old games being on a best of list for 2019. X.x
@JayJ I'd guess if you took out the 1/10 scores aimed at lowering the average score, Sword/Shield would be in the top 10. It's current average score is 7.8/10 which puts it slightly outside the top 50.
Wow, this was a great year for hidden gems! We'll be playing a lot of these in the years to come ^_^
@Kirby_Girl Umm Technically, FF8 HD Remaster isn’t a really an “old game”. It just came out this year. And given some of the changes it toes the “remaster” line.
@mousieone its an update of a now older game. It got its props. Just nice to see something else get more props such as games like Katana Zero over things already deemed classic. I get what you mean by it being a newer release version its just wack imo to see even if it scraps by on those reasons
Wow, so happy that DQXIS and FE3H made the top spots as they have been my MVPs of the year. Will go back and do more routes in FE3H eventually
@Kirby_Girl yeah well not going to argue there; I have similar feelings towards a few things on the list but at least that one legitimately was an update.
I had a great Nintendo gaming year. I played 5 out of the top 10 games on this list.
@baller98 I've been keeping my eye on it, but it seems very short and easy. I definitely don't think I'll get it for the full $40 price, but if it goes on sale, I'll be very interested.
So many great titles this year. DQ XIS is one of the best JRPGs of all time. Heck, games of all time.
DQ11 is overrated for me. It gets so much praise, left right and center and yet I can't even force myself to complete the demo. Wanted to like it but it just doesn't click. What's so great about this game?
Nice to see my personal game of this year, AI: The Somnium Files, on this list.
"There's a huge amount of quality on this list - arguably enough to rival even Switch's stellar launch year!"
I admire the positivity - I almost wish I shared this outlook... but yea, I really don't. 2019 was dreadful. A year that had Pokemon as the main event, no doubt sacrificing at least 2 first party titles into 2020, and that turned out to be a massive disappointment - as shown by its position in this ranking, which is woeful!
How many of this Top 50 has the average gamer played before? 20%? 30% even?! Huge bonus playing these great games on the go, but it doesn't disguise a disappointing year overall - these games should be the cherry on top, not the main event.
2018 and 2019 had enormous potential when they began and they both fell flat.
2020 once again has the potential, arguably even more now that we've seen successive poor years, but once again we have a familiar setting as we approach the New Year... no news, and the apprehension of a January Direct not delivering the goods.
DragonQuest XI is my game of the year! 😏✌🏻
@darkswabber
Why?
I'd trust the majority
I think a hat in time should be higher up, maybe top 20 or 10
Tap here to load 127 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...